About

"I am enthusiastic about Gambia’s Future as a developing country. I am based Gambia with a rich experience of over 26 years in business, management and international relations"

Business, investment and development professional

With years of experience in business development and management I have mastered the skills of understanding constituency requirements according to the demographical trends. I have worked with businesses from different niches in Gambia and abroad.

I’ve spent most of these years working front end development across sectors in different areas of industry, to my current role as Ambassador –At – Large engaging on multiple platforms. Having worked on various projects that are already in existence. I continue to be an active participant of the evolving reengineering of Gambia, develop best practice suggestions and ideas that we can proceed with. My focus has always been cohesion and equitable development and as such my invested interests are in options of how we can work on together

My Skills

I believe in the fact that learning never stops and I am interested in learning new technologies and strategy that will help me create and develop a better output in less time.

Communication

97%

Management

87%

Consultant

90%

Accounting

85%

Organizing

75%

Marketing

87%

BIO

Born January 2, 1972, in Banjul, to proud African parents, father Saraja Sima and mother Amanata Juwara, the second of five children Madou Lamin Sima is eldest son. He is the Ambassador –At -Large for business and investment for the Gambia, appointed by the Gambian government (2016-2021). Presently serving his second term he is a key player in the country's development agenda process. Before assuming his ambassadorial role, Mr. Sima, an entrepreneur by profession, began his start as an insurance officer in 1994. In 1997 he was employed at the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) as a cadet inspection officer.

Ambassador Sima has also served on several private and public sector boards, including being the president of the staff association at SSHFC for 23 years. He served as the Senior Manager of Compliance and opened the SSHFC Branch in Bakau.

During his career at the SSHFC, Mr. Sima held various positions and was mainly engaged in entrepreneurship development while setting up SMEs, recreating employment as well as increasing his income streams.

“My experiences especially years of public service have cultivated my ambition and created a hunger and determination in my endeavor to achieving higher heights and greater results for the development of Gambia in pursuit of a stronger purpose. Yes, it’s challenging but it is also a rewarding beautiful, and wonderful experience, and one that I hold dear to my heart.

He holds “O” and “A” Levels from the Gambia High School in 1994, received a certificate with Merit and Diploma in Administration of Business Economics, a Bachelor’s degree in French language and business from Catholic Institute of Paris and Catholic University of Paris, earning a Diplome Aprofondir D’Affair in French language and socio-economic studies at the University of Sorbonne Paris between 2005 and 2009, respectively.

Ambassador Sima is the recipient of numerous citations and recognition from his peers and various organizations for her pioneering work, entrepreneurial endeavours, and commitment to social causes within the Gambia.

“Recognizing that my calling was much greater than I realized,” he says, “I, therefore, created my platform by mentoring and counseling especially women and young people by sharing my wisdom to pay it forward so that others can be inspired and motivated to learn how to be better.”

Armed with an engaging personality, he is approachable, he has successfully established a series of companies and has employed many over the years. His latest company is called GAMGATE CONSORTIUM which is specialized in business and investment modelling for local economic development amongst others.

Ambassador Sima is a strong supporter of His Excellency President Adama Barrow.

Q&A

GAMBIAS’ LEADERSHIP ON UPSCALING EDUCATION, HEALTH AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES….

Following the 2016 presidential elections in the Gambia, a new political dispensation heralded with the introduction of a new president and a new cabinet that spearheaded the political transformation of the Gambia using responsible democracy. This meant the subsequent 5 years to follow will be justified by rule of law, human rights and good governance which will be guided by the tenets of democracy. Thus, in order to amicably achieve any meaningful development, there was first a need for national reconciliation through transitional justice. The Gambia Government embarked on a rapid transformational process by instituting transitional justice processes and procedures. This culminated to the introduction of the followings: • Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) • Establishing a Commission of Inquiry (Janneh Commision) to unearth the corruption, extra judicial killings and misappropriation of funds managed by previous government • Establishment of a Constitutional Review Commision in order to repeal all draconian laws introduced by the previous government • National Human Rights Commission to upscale the rights of citizens and people living in the Gambia • Other commissions deemed necessary and relevant

ROADS CONSTRUCTION

The new administration (government) also embarked on a massive transformation of infrastructural developments in road construction i.e. through our Chinese intervention and other international partners to construct up to 600km of roads within 5 years. Currently additional 50km dual lane roads are being constructed by the organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) project. This project is on -going.

EDUCATION

Up to 3,850 classroom blocks have been constructed over a period of 5 years. This are modern buildings with state-of-the-art facilitates which are conducive for learning both for students and teachers at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, all over the Gambia. A Dutch non-governmental organization partnered with the Gambia government to deliver such enormous projects which have changed the entire learning environment through the Ministry of Basic and secondary education and the Ministry of Higher education. The University of the Gambia Campus with a perimeter of over 5km square will be completed in 3 months from now that will house all the schools and faculties of a functional university. This also included the construction of teacher house quarters, toilets, and study libraries in each facility built.

CONTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT ON PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCING SOCIO-CULTURAL PRACTICES

The government of the Gambia through its State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) is revamping and revitalizing its old methodology of doing things. This is paying dividend as seen recently in its branch called Gambia Revenue Authority that is collecting revenue for national development. A substantial amount of over 12 billion dalasis have been collected over a period of one year. This is in fact reducing the Gambia’s overdependence on foreign aid as well as on the balance of payments. On socio cultural Assets, the government is utilizing its Ministry of Tourism and Culture to stitch the wounds and establish a culture centred tourism for all and sundry. Although Covid 19 has significantly affected the growth of the sector, nonetheless tourism continues to make head waves for the Gambia by contributing more than 20% GDP. The current national reconciliation and reparations efforts by the TRRC is also building bridges to bringing back sanity for national economic recovery amongst others.

HEALTH

Following the emergence of Covid 19, the Gambia government introduced a robust health care system that will primarily engage all primary health care centres in the country to sensitize, educate and provide the requisite knowledge and medical care required to contain the pandemic. Thus, the government gave a whooping 500,000,000 (five hundred million dalasis) package which was equivalent to (10 million US Dollars) at the time to the ministry of health to carry out these activities. In addition, the government provided a package worth of over 400, 000, 000 million dollars through its World Bank partners as a food bank to households for food security which was distributed through its scheme called NAFA programme to every household in the Gambia for every month up to four months consecutively. This was highly appreciated and welcomed by underprivileged societies.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line

GOVERNMENTS ROLE IN PROMOTING MEDIA PRACTICES

Most recently the president of the republic has assented to and signed 7 protocols into law, key amongst them is the Access to Information Bill. This was highly welcomed by the media fraternity and a boost to a long-awaited bill. There is also undeniable and visible Freedom of Expression which was ably demonstrated in the just concluded Presidential Elections of 4th December 2021 in which 6 political parties participated. Government has worked with the Gambia Press Union to promote the welfare of journalist and media houses. In fact, there has been a proliferation of over 40 radio stations and 5 TV stations currently in existence all of whom have been granted license to operate which is unprecedented in the history of the Gambia. The Ministry of Information gives a regular and periodical updates of government activities and programmes on both radio and TV.

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Gambia is a party to many international conventions and therefore stands as a proxy in delivering all its expectations as a sovereign state. The Gambia has managed to return to the Commonwealth of nations which it reoccupies its full status after a brief absence during the previous administration. The AU, ECOWAS, WORLD BANK, NATO, COP26 and a host of other international bodies fully recognizes the Gambia as a strong stakeholder and contributor. In terms of mediations, the Gambia participated in the Malian fracas (coup’detat), Guinea Conakry Coup detat, Burkina Faso and most recently Guinea Bissau attempted coup’detats through its regional block ECOWAS to facilitate peace and bring normalcy. Internally the government is embarking on a security sector reform which is a strategic orientation mindset that is geared towards regaining trust and confidence in the democratic processes and procedures being implemented.t

GAMBIAS’ POSITION IN GLOBAL PERFORMANCE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

We envisage a highly developed country with a robust and action oriented with performance measures that will drive our growth. The government is now putting the square peds in round holes i.e. fighting endemic corruption and malpractices in all sectors of the public domain. The Gambia is hoping to emulate the Singaporean model and by so doing we can only grow from being good to being grea

ABOUT ME

Madou Lamin Sima is the Ambassador-at-large for business and investment for The Gambia. Mr. Sima is also the president of the Children’s Alliance for the Protection of the Environment (CAPE INC Gambia).